The drowning of a woman in a bathtub becomes the first murder in a series of copycat murders imitating infamous murders from the past.The drowning of a woman in a bathtub becomes the first murder in a series of copycat murders imitating infamous murders from the past.The drowning of a woman in a bathtub becomes the first murder in a series of copycat murders imitating infamous murders from the past.
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Did you know
- TriviaThe Red Lion in little missenden Buckinghamshire which doubles for the signalman in this episode has featured in four episodes "avenging Angel", "Talking to the dead", "Who killed cock Robin?" And this one.
- Quotes
Liz Tomlin: Would you like to adopt a donkey, Chief Inspector?
DCI John Barnaby: Ah, no, thanks.
[glances toward Jones]
DCI John Barnaby: I've already got one.
Featured review
A Major Miss of an Episode
While the John Nettles era Midsomer Murders had its share of mediocre and downright bad episodes, the start of Neil Dudgeon's role as the new top guy in season 14 is frankly a bit rocky. The writers, in trying to establish John Barnaby's worth actively dumb down the iq of characters like Jones and Bullard to make John the center of attention, and we have the tedious tension between John and Jones that manages to make Tom's relationship with DS Scott positively harmonious by comparison. Not only is this an issue with Echoes of the Dead, but the episode is further brought down by remarkably sloppy writing. While there have certainly been episodes before this with plot holes, open plot threads, and other shoddy writing, this one is remarkable in how many issues are folded together in one episode.
As others have noted the viewer is simultaneously likely to guess who the killer is within the first third of the episode and yet will have no idea what his actual motivations are before his interrogation. There is no hint whatsoever of a connection between the murders before the killer spells it out for us, I suspect the writers were attempting to emulate the senseless atmosphere of serial killings in real life, but given the nature of the show it falls flat. To which I might add the motivations are even blander than usual, given the fact that two of the women were sleeping with men in the village it's a headscratcher the mens' identities are never mentioned, not to mention nothing of the trope of zealous Christians going on a killing spree which has been done to death already in the series. Given the only reason the killer is apprehended is due to a peeping tom just happening to be around the killer's next victim one might as well not pay John or Ben for how little they actually did. As for the side characters, while I enjoyed their acting - and lord knows I'm frustrated at Pam Ferris wasted in such a minor role for her sole appearance in the series - their red herring plot lines not only go nowhere but have no resolution. Usually Midsomer at least tries to give the viewer some closure, yet here one is left wanting.
Honestly on plot alone this episode deserves an even lower score, but the acting and great atmosphere make it okay for viewing so long as one tunes out of the plots finer details.
As others have noted the viewer is simultaneously likely to guess who the killer is within the first third of the episode and yet will have no idea what his actual motivations are before his interrogation. There is no hint whatsoever of a connection between the murders before the killer spells it out for us, I suspect the writers were attempting to emulate the senseless atmosphere of serial killings in real life, but given the nature of the show it falls flat. To which I might add the motivations are even blander than usual, given the fact that two of the women were sleeping with men in the village it's a headscratcher the mens' identities are never mentioned, not to mention nothing of the trope of zealous Christians going on a killing spree which has been done to death already in the series. Given the only reason the killer is apprehended is due to a peeping tom just happening to be around the killer's next victim one might as well not pay John or Ben for how little they actually did. As for the side characters, while I enjoyed their acting - and lord knows I'm frustrated at Pam Ferris wasted in such a minor role for her sole appearance in the series - their red herring plot lines not only go nowhere but have no resolution. Usually Midsomer at least tries to give the viewer some closure, yet here one is left wanting.
Honestly on plot alone this episode deserves an even lower score, but the acting and great atmosphere make it okay for viewing so long as one tunes out of the plots finer details.
helpful•22
- Mediantic
- Jun 22, 2023
Details
- Release date
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- Filming locations
- Ropley Station - Mid-Hants Railway, Ropley, Hampshire, England, UK(Great Worthy station)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
- Runtime1 hour 33 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 16:9
- 16:9 HD
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